SHAH ALAM: Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said Barisan Nasional had not used Article 153 of the Constitution to bully anybody.

Responding to a claim by a senior Christian leader last weekend, the Deputy Prime Minister said the Constitution protects the rights of all Malaysians.

“There is history and rationale in it.

“Therefore, no parties should pass negative remarks on it, like calling it unfair to certain quarters.

“We do not want to spark any anger among us as it is not good for the nation’s development,” Muhyiddin told reporters at the Universiti Teknologi Mara campus in Puncak Alam, near here, where he launched the BioNexus Partners Project and announced the completion of the Malay Genome Mapping project yesterday.

National Evangelical Christian Fellowship chairman Rev Dr Eu Hong Seng, speaking at a high-tea Christmas eve celebration on Saturday, had said Article 153, which charges the Yang di Pertuan Agong with protecting the position of bumiputras, was in a way, bullying people with fewer privileges.

“That is an incorrect interpretation,” Muhyiddin said, adding that every effort to help all levels of society were sealed in the (social) contract that had been implemented all this while.

He hoped there would be no debate over the issue, calling on all Malaysians not to question the Constitution as negative statements on the matter could lead to social unrest.

Muhyiddin said the Barisan Nasional government had been fair from the beginning in resolving social, economic and education issues that involve all Malaysians, regardless of race and religion.

Article 153 states that “it shall be the responsibility of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to safeguard the special position of the Malays and natives of any of the states of Sabah and Sarawak and the legitimate interests of other communities in accordance with the provisions of this Article.”

Meanwhile, Malay rights group Perkasa has urged the Government to take action against Dr Eu for questioning Article 153.

Its president Datuk Ibrahim Ali said the provision had kept the country peaceful and protected the rights of other races.